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Full-Text Articles in Education
"God, Mother And Island Creek": The Story Of Holden Central School And The Emergence Of Nurturing Paternalism, Harley D. Walden
"God, Mother And Island Creek": The Story Of Holden Central School And The Emergence Of Nurturing Paternalism, Harley D. Walden
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The story of the community of Holden, West Virginia (Logan County), Island Creek Coal Company, and its model school (Holden Central School) offers a counternarrative to the dominant deficit-oriented narratives concerning Appalachian education. In particular, the progressive nature of Island Creek Coal Company led it to create a model coal camp community and a school that educated their employees’ children. The school operated from 1922 until 1970, when the combined elementary and junior high school closed its doors forever. Island Creek Coal Company both designed, supplied, and oversaw the daily operations of a benevolent community with all the modern amenities …
Losing Diana: Children And Families Reflect On The Closing Of A School In Rural West Virginia, Allison Nicole Pyle
Losing Diana: Children And Families Reflect On The Closing Of A School In Rural West Virginia, Allison Nicole Pyle
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
This was a phenomenological study that explored school consolidation through the lived experiences and perceptions of students and their families. This study included five elementary students, ranging from second through sixth grade and six adult participants, including parents and grandparents. Individual interviews, focus groups, and artifact exploration were utilized as the primary data collection methods. Because school consolidation is a social as well as an individual experience, this study worked through the constructivist perspective to allow a greater understanding of the complexities and nuances of personal relationships that develop and evolve throughout the consolidation process. This study also utilized feminist …
Investigating West Virginia Students' Perceptions Of The Factors Affecting Their Educational Aspirations, Kimberly S. Cowley
Investigating West Virginia Students' Perceptions Of The Factors Affecting Their Educational Aspirations, Kimberly S. Cowley
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of West Virginia students about factors affecting their educational aspirations and to determine whether these factors differed significantly over time, by gender, or by parents‟ college history. Research questions included: (1) To what extent will constructs emerging from West Virginia student data parallel the eight constructs identified as supporting student aspirations by the University of Maine‟s National Center for Student Aspirations? (2) To what extent do students‟ perceptions of these factors differ over time, from seventh to ninth grade? (3) To what extent do students‟ perceptions of these factors differ …
Marginalized Students' Perspectives Of School Consolidation: A Case Study In Rural West Virginia, Betty A. Sias
Marginalized Students' Perspectives Of School Consolidation: A Case Study In Rural West Virginia, Betty A. Sias
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
While prior research provides evidence that school consolidation impacts student achievement, the economic efficiency at state and district levels, dropout rates, participation in extracurricular activities, curriculum offerings, and the length of bus rides, “little is known about what happens in consolidated schools to impact student learning,” (Blake, 2003, p. 21) and little attention has been given to studying students’ lived experiences of consolidation. This qualitative case study explored these issues by attempting to understand students’ transition to a consolidated high school, as well as their current experiences with and perceptions of consolidation in a rural community in West Virginia. The …
Regional Learning Opportunities : A Story Of Place-Based Learning Among Adults In West Virginia, Paula W. Flaherty
Regional Learning Opportunities : A Story Of Place-Based Learning Among Adults In West Virginia, Paula W. Flaherty
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Place-based learning has been shown to be effective for use with traditional-aged students, but not much research has been conducted to connect the use of place-based learning with adults, particularly in rural areas of Appalachia. Because of the lack of information concerning this topic, a qualitative case study was conducted among participants in an adult learning program in West Virginia. The intent of the study was to add to the body of knowledge regarding place-based learning with adults. The case study examined the experiences and perceptions of adult planners, implementers, and participants in a program called Regional Learning Opportunities (RLOs) …